Taryn Simon

Yet another fantastic multimedia production from Tate Shots, this piece on American photographer Taryn Simon (see Susan Bright's article in #10 of 1000 Words) focuses on her new exhibition at Tate Modern ‘A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters’. Simon mixes photography and text in a series works that chart family bloodlines. At the heart of each group of photographic portraits, carefully arranged as 18 horizontal family trees, is a compelling story. One set documents the relatives of an Iraqi man who was a body double for Saddam Hussein’s son; another show members of a religious sect in Lebanon who believe in reincarnation; while the exhibition title comes from a work about a living Indian man who was declared dead in official records. From feuding families in Brazil to victims of genocide in Bosnia, Simon forms a collection that maps the relationships between chance, blood and other components of fate.

"Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living." Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (1852)

1000 Words Photography Magazine #10

It gives us great pleasure to let you know that the new issue of 1000 Words "Aporia" has now hit the digital shelves. To view it please go to: www.1000wordsmag.com

APORIA: [uh-pawr-ee-uh, uh-pohr-] The expression of a simulated or real doubt, as about where to begin or what to do or say.

[from Greek, literally: a state of being at a loss]















This issue brings together a number of exciting artists in an attempt to tackle the idea of a shared reality and the possibility - or impossibility - of its representation through photography. "Photography is a fiction," said John Gossage "not the fiction that implies a lie, but the kind of fiction that describes the experience you are getting as fleeting and transitory yet at the same time permanent. It’s not reality in the normal way we navigate it."

With this in mind, Photography critic and Picture editor at The Telegraph, Lucy Davies considers the fascinating portraits of Robert Bergman; Aaron Schuman speaks to Craig Mammano about his work on survival and isolation in the Treme neighbourhood of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina; Curator Susan Bright takes a look at Taryn Simon’s new book Contraband; Artistic director at QUAD and Co-founder of FORMAT International Photography Festival Louise Clements takes a look at the portfolio of young Russian photographer, Nikita Pirogov; Natasha Christia profiles Czech-born, Tereza Zelenková, another promising young talent who graduated from The University of Westminster in 2010; and finally 1000 Words Deputy editor Michael Grieve brings us a rare and rewarding interview with the highly-respected and controversial Magnum photographer, Antoine d’Agata.

In the books section, we turn our attention to From Here to There: Alec Soth’s America by Alec Soth, Boris Mikhailov’s The Wedding and the stunning Thirty Two Inch Ruler/Map of Babylon by John Gossage.

As always, there is no shortage of people to thank, but we would like to show our appreciation to Santiago Taccetti from CCCH Creative Studio, Barcelona for his stellar design work, Carla Rigau for her expert translation services and new staff member, Robson Yee for his hard work and assistance with all matters editorial production. 1000 Words would also like to warmly welcome the recently appointed Board of directors and looks forward to working with them on the next stage of the organisation’s development. They are: Camilla Gore, Nicholas Barker, Simon Baker, Louise Clements, Aron Morel, Tim Clark, Michael Grieve and Norman Clark.

Paul Graham wins Deutsche Börse Photography Prize!

©Paul Graham

Paul Graham (b. 1956, UK), has been awarded the 2009 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize. At a special ceremony on Wednesday 25 March 2009, Jefferson Hack, co-founder of Dazed & Confused, presented the £30,000 award. The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2009 is presented by The Photographers’ Gallery and is on show until 12 April 2009.

The Prize is awarded to an international photographer for their significant contribution to the medium of photography through either an exhibition or publication, in Europe between 1 October 2007 and 30 September 2008. Paul Graham won for his publication a shimmer of possibility (steidlMACK, October 2007).

a shimmer of possibility comprises twelve individual volumes of photographic short stories of life in contemporary America. Graham infuses lyricism into the most mundane of everyday human activities – fetching mail or lighting a cigarette – and creates quiet photographic moments, ‘filmic haikus’, which suggest and hint at a narrative but ultimately remain open-ended. At once poetic and political, his photographs manage to draw out something truly profound from the almost-nothingness of everyday life.

Paul Graham was chosen by the Jury members, David Campany (writer/lecturer, University of Westminster, UK); David Goldblatt (photographer, South Africa); Chus Martínez (Chief Curator, Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Spain); and Anne-Marie Beckmann (Curator, Art Collection Deutsche Börse, Germany).

The other shortlisted artists in this year’s Prize, each awarded £3,000, are:

Emily Jacir (b.1970, Kuwait), Tod Papageorge (b.1940, USA) and Taryn Simon (b.1975, USA). The selection this year reflects the diversity of contemporary photographic practice and highlights issues of critical importance in our lives. For further information on each of the photographers’ work on display please visit the gallery website: www.photonet.org.uk

Brett Rogers, non-voting Chair and Director of The Photographers’ Gallery said, on behalf of the jury: ‘a shimmer of possibility sees Paul Graham pushing the photographic medium in many ways – through his acute observation of ‘bare’ life and diagnosis of the mood of contemporary America through its smallest details. Few photographic projects ever reach this level of subtlety, sensitivity and complexity.’

Alexandra Hachmeister, Head of Corporate Responsibility for Deutsche Börse, stated: ‘As title sponsor for the fifth year, we are delighted how the reputation of the Prize has developed, being the most prestigious photography prize in Europe today. We thank all those who have contributed – the Gallery staff, the Academy, the jury and above all the artists. We congratulate Paul Graham on being awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2009.’

The Gallery is delighted to have been collaborating with Deutsche Börse Group as sponsors of the Photography Prize since 2005. Deutsche Börse Group is one of the world largest exchange organisations and a major sponsor of photographic art. Further information on Deutsche Börse Group and its photography collection can be found at www.deutsche-boerse.com/art

The exhibition will tour to C/O Berlin (29 May – 29 June 09) and to Frankfurt in late Summer.